Climbing Excalibur

While the photographer abseiled from the top, Begoña Ruiz Núñez (34) belayed by Steven Martinez (21), tackled a 6c climb at Bjoeks climbing centre. Here on an exchange for just a year, Steven, from South Carolina, quickly discovered Groningen’s landmark tower. The International Relations and Religious Studies student loves the freedom and adventure of climbing. ‘There are no rules – you just go wherever you can.’ Begoña, who was born in Bilbao, is doing her PhD at the UMCG. She is studying hunter-gatherer DNA and started climbing about four years ago. ‘I like the challenge, the personal struggle and to climb in the mountains, with my friends.’

Begoña Ruiz Núñez is climbing the Bjoeks tower belayed by Steven Martinez, while I photographed from above at what I guess is about 28-30 meters from the ground.

It was an interesting assignment to take on, dangling from the top of the tower, while the sun was already setting, trying to convey that sheer “sweaty-hands-feeling” you get when climbing these heights.

This image was shot for the Groningen University online newspaper, and published in the monthly magazine.